Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I do not fall into the specific minority classes listed on the previous page; am I eligible for the program?

A: Possibly; while participants in the official SIPHER program must be either african-american, hispanic, native-american, or female (any race), we usually have 2-3 additional positions for students who do meet fall into one of those categories.  So if you are interested in the program, you should still apply. SIPHER program participants must be US persons, i.e. US citizens or permanent residents.

Q: I am not a U.S. Citizen; am I eligible for the program?

A: No. However we encourage you to send in an application anyway - we may be able to support you from other sources for the summer, and you will be working with the SIPHER students.  Any questions can be sent to sipher@isis.vanderbilt.edu

Q: I have already graduated; am I eligible for the program?

A: No; SIPHER is for undergraduates who have not yet graduated at the time the program begins.

Q: What type of project will I work on?

A: The specific projects change every year.  Usually there are 1-2 students assigned to each project.  All projects have to do with various aspects of hybrid and embedded systems.  Check out the pages from previous summer for detailed information on past projects.

Q: I am not an electrical engineering or computer science major; does this affect my eligibility?

A: No; we welcome applications from all relevant majors.  Embedded systems by their nature lend themselves to multiple fields of study, so there is no one "best" field for studying embedded systems.

Q: I just completed my first year of college; am I eligible?

A: Possibily; it depends on your amount of experience and relevant courses.  SIPHER is targeted towards rising juniors and seniors, but qualified freshmen will also be considered.

Q: I'm interested in one particular aspect (for example, programming) of embedded system design; how do I know I will be able to work on a project that interests me?

A: We try to take your personal interests into account when assigning projects.  There are many common activities that are done as a group so that you develop a breadth of knowledge about embedded systems in general, but we try to assign the projects in such a way that a person's skills and interests are alligned with their project.

Q: How much will I be paid?

A: Participants receive a total of $6000, paid in two installments over the summer.

Q: Is on campus housing available?

A: Yes, and in fact, most participants choose to live on campus.  The cost for on campus-housing last year was approximately $1360.

Q: Can I live off-campus?

A: Yes, but unfortunately we cannot offer any assistance in finding off campus housing.

Q: What sorts of recreational activities are available to students during the summer?

A: We plan numerous social activities throughout the summer, including trips, picnics, barbecues, movie nights, bowling, etc.  Vanderbilt's Campus, which is a national arboretum, is located very close to downtown.